Combined chair and table



Feb. 6, 1951 N. RElNGoLD 2,540,291 Y COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1946 iE-i- INVENTUR.

A NOAH REINGOLD.

y BY

N. REINGOLD COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE Feb. 6, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1946 INVENTOR. NOAH REI NGOLD.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 6,

2,540,291 COMBINED CHAIR AND TABLE Noah Reingold, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Bahco-Tenda License Corporation, Metropolis, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application May 22, 1946, Serial No. 671,433

7 Claims. l

This invention relates to a furniture and more particularly to a combination table and baby chair.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved article of furniture such as indicated above fully capable of performing its function both as a table and as an infant chair with the table top utilized for a considerable .portion of its area as a tray for the chair.

Another object of the invention is to retain all parts irremovably associated in readiness for ernployment of the article of furniture either as a full-surface table or as providing partially a table surface and partially a chair.

Yet another object of the invention is to coordinate the pivotal and slidable supports for the chair parts to obtain proper and comfortable positions thereof for use as a chair and to also obtain even and tight closure of the closure lling the` table-top opening when used as a fullsurface table.

Also the invention has for an object to provide for comfort-.promoting adjustments for the chair.

An essential object of the invention is the provision of a chair structure which is foldable to occupy` no greater thickness when folded than required by thickness of the table top and its legs when they are` folded.

Other objects o f the invention will appear as the description proceeds, both by direct recitation thereof and by implication from the context.

' Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a perspective view of an article of furniture embodying my invention and set up for use in its capacity as a chair;

Figure 2 is a central vertical section of the ar- -ticle of furniture embodying my invention as Set up for use as a full-surface table;

Figure 3 is an underneath View of the fully folded article of furniture;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the table top with some of the underlying parts shown dotted for indicating relative location thereof; and

vFigure 5 is a partial sectional View showing adjusted positions of chair parts.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing, the reference numeral HJ designates a tabletop, here shown as rectangular or square, of the general character as used. for card tables, reenforced at its peripheral edges by a depending edge frame Il and carried by four foldable legs l2, one next each corner. The

legs fold within the edge frame so that in folded conditions, the thickness is no greater than the thickness of the table top plus its frame. It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a vfolding chair structure as part of the table and which folds tg a, thickness no greater than the thickness above mentioned for the folded condition of legs with the table top and its frame.

For adapting the table to use as a chair, a. well opening I3 is made in the table top of ap? propriate size and shape, As here shown, the well opening is rectangular with its side edges evenly spaced from sides of the table and with its Aoidedera une'vnlr spaced thereby locating what -will be teririecl 'the back of the @Deming closer to" the back edge .of the table than the lolcation of the front edge lof the opening to the front edge of the'table. A trap-door closure i4 is provided for lthe well opening, and this closure is mounted so as to have a top surface in the plane ,ofthe top surface ofthe table when said Closure. is in its closed position. With said closure in Closed position, the table presents. a full-surface table top;

Beneath the table top, Secured to the fixed body portion thereof and located longitudinally of and 'adjacent the side edges of the' well @new ing, are two stringere 0r guides l5 which are parallel to each other at opposite; sides of the openings. These stringers have, at ,their inner or facing sides, longitudinal grooves IE for slidable mounting and retention therein of pintles Il, here shown, as integral parts of brackets I8 secured on the under side of closure I4. By virtue. o f these pintles, the closure may be swung to project above and below the body of the table. top, and by virtue of said slots, the closure thus swung may be slid toward the back edge of the well opening. At the end portion of the slots toward the back of the well, two notches o1' de,- presslons vl!! are shown as provided in the lower reach of each slot. into opposite pairs of which the pintles may seat in either of two non-sliding positions.

The rearward and downwardly swinging end of closure M has a seat 2u hinged thereto in the vicinity of its rear edge by appropriate hinges 2|. The front end of said seat 2U is carriedby side strapsA of a U.- Shape stirrup 22. As shown, the upper ends of the stirrup straps are pivoted. as at 23, to the inside face of stringers I5 near the forward end of said stringers. In folded position, the stirrup will underlie and be parallel to said seat and will be located between said stringers, and in that position of stirrup, the

the seat attachment to the pivotal support 23 for the stirrup approximate the distance between the rear hinge support 2l for-the closure and the pintles Il, so that, with closure and stirrup both hanging down, the seat 2U carried at front and back thereby will be substantially horizontal or parallel to the body of the table top.

Below the pivotal support by the stirrup for said seat is mounted a foot rest 28. This foot rest provides brackets 29 "pivots 30 of which are removable from and insertable in any one of a plurality of holes 3Iin the stirrup for adjusting the elevation of the foot rest to proper vheight for the child using the chair. Said brackets 29 for the foot rest have shoulders 32 which protrude to engage the front edges of the stirrup side straps and thereby limit downward swung position of the foot rest. A leaf spring 33 protrudes rearwardly from the rear of the foot rest, and this leaf spring will engage against the underside of the seat when the several partsare swung up toward the table top in folded or collapsed position. As shown in Figs. 1v and 3, the spring 33 extends rearwardly of the seat beyond the pivots 30 when the footrest is operatively positioned and, of course, still protrudes beyond the pivots 30 when the chair is collapsed. The said leaf spring functions to hold the foot rest swung into atwise juxtaposition to the underside of the seat in said collapsed condition of the chair parts, and in so doing also functions to help keep the other movable parts of the chair structure in their closed or folded positions. However, to open the chair, and assuming the table top to be sitting properly on its four legs, the operator presses the detent 25 away from the stirrup, thus releasing the stirrup. The weight of the stirrup causes it to swing down, carrying the foot rest and seat downward and tilting the closure which is then readily grasped at its front edge if necessary to assist gravity to complete the opening operation by sliding the closure rearward and seating the pintles in the desired notches. It may be here observed that the pivoting of the closure is substantially midway of its length, giving a balance which renders operation easily accomplished, and also that the adjustment of the pintles in the desired notches as well as the permitted adjustment of the foot rest accommodate the chair to size, comfort and ease of the occupant. Also, the part of the closure which is at the top of the table when the closure is functioning as part of the table surface, is at the rear of the closure in its position as seat back and therefore is less subject to injury or wear than if it were toward the child, and is maintained in comparable condi.. tion to the body portion of the table top.

I claim:

l. An article of furniture comprising a table having a seat well in the top thereof, guides at the under side of said top parallel to each other and adjacent the sides of said seat well, said guides having grooves therein facing toward each therefrom into said grooves for both pivotally and slidably mounting said closure to the table top for also utilizing said closure as a seat back in said well, said pintles being permanently and positively engaged with said grooves for limiting and controlling all movement of said closure, and a seat pivotally supported from the table top by said closure which pivotally engages with the rear portion of the seat, said seat being collapsible toward said closure in closed position of the closure with respect to the well.

2. An article of furniture comprising a table having a seat well in the top thereof, guides at the under side of said top, parallel to each other and adjacent the sides of said seat well, said guides having grooves therein extending forwardly and rearwardly and facing toward each other, Ythe rear ends of said grooves having notches at the bottom rear reaches thereof, a closure for other, a closure for said well, brackets on said closure, said brackets having pintles projecting said well, brackets on said closure, said brackets having pintles projecting therefrom into said groove and adapted to slide in said groove and be seated in said notches, thereby supporting said closure in the well as a seat back, a seat hinged to said closure and partially supported thereby beneath the seat well, and a stirrup pivotally engaged with the front portion of the seat to support and position same with said closure, said stirrup extending below said seat, and a footrest pivotally secured to said stirrup and protruding forwardly therefrom when operatively positioned, said seat and footrest being adapted to be compactly folded under said table when said closure is positioned in said well.

3, An article of furniture comprising a table having a seat well in the top thereof, a closure for said well, means both pivotally and slidably mounting said closure to the table top for also utilizing said closure as a seat back in said well, a seat hinged to said closure at the rear part of the seat, a stirrup hinged to the table and to the front part of said seat and extending below said seat, a foot rest pivoted on said stirrup at the part thereof extending below said seat, said stirrup, foot rest and seat being collapsible together and into juxtaposition to said closure, and a spring member secured to and extending rearwardly from said foot rest, said spring member extending rearwardly of the pivotal connection between said footrest and stirrup and being adapted to bear on portions of the seat when it is collapsed so as to retain said foot rest folded up against said stirrup.

4. An article of furniture comprising a table having a seat well in the top thereof, a seat pivotally supported from said table, a stirrup hinged to the table and to the front part of said seat and extending below said seat, a foot rest pivoted on said stirrup at the part thereof extending below said seat, said stirrup, foot rest and seat being collapsible together and into juxtaposition to said table top, and a spring member secured to and extending rearwardly from said foot rest, said spring member extending rearwardly of the pivotal connection between said foot rest and stirrup and being adapted to bear on a portion of the seat when it is collapsed so as to retain said foot rest folded up against said stirrup.

5. An article of furniture comprising a table having a seat well in the top thereof, guides at the under side of said top parallel to each other and adjacent the sides of said seat well, said guides having grooves therein extending forward- 76 1y and rearwardly and facing toward each other,

the rear ends of said grooves having notches at the bottom reaches thereof, a, closure for said well, brackets on said closure, said brackets having pintles projecting therefrom into said grooves and adapted to slide in said grooves and be seated in said notches thereby supporting said closure in the well as a seat back, a seat bottom, means pivotally securing the lower portion of said seat back to the rear portion of said seat bottom, and means for pivotally supporting the front portion of said seat bottom beneath the seat well, Said closure being only movably forwardly and pivotally in said grooves to move it from its seat back to its closure position..

6. An article of furniture comprising a table having a seat well in the top thereof, a pair of guides positioned along a, pair of opposed longitudinally extending sides of the said seat well parallel to the upper surface of the table and spaced therebelow a short distance, said guides each having a longitudinally extending groove in the inner face thereof, a seat for positioning below said seat well, means pivotally supporting a front portion of said seat, a back for said seat pivotally secured thereto, pintle means secured to said seat back and being positioned forwardly thereof and engaged with said grooves to support said seat back and the rear portion of said seat, and means for locking said seat back adjacent the rear portion of said grooves, said pintle means being slidable forwardly in said grooves to collapse said seat against the lower surface of said table and bring said seat back into register with said seat well Ilush with the surface of said table, said seat back being of a size to ll said seat well snugly.

'1. An article of furniture comprising a table having a seat well in the top thereof, a pair of guides being positioned along a pair of opposed longitudinally extending sides of the said seat well parallel to the upper surface of the table and spaced therebelow a short distance, said guides each having a longitudinally extending groove in the inner face thereof, a seat for positioning below said seat well, means pivotally supporting a front portion of said seat, a back for said seat pivotally secured thereto, and pintle means secured to said-seat back and engaged with said grooves to support said seat back and the rear portion of said seat, said pintle means being slidable forwardly in said grooves to collapse said seat up against the lower surface of said table and bring said seat back into register with said seat well ush with the surface vof said table, said seat back being of a size to ll said seat well snugly.

NOAH REINGOLD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 242,941 Laeremans June 14, 1881 916,631 Towne May 30, 1909 2,017,433 Carrington Oct. 15, 1935 2,161,657 Hansburg June 6, 1939 2,386,721 Sedita Oct. 9, 1945 2,400,134 Puls et al May 14, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 154,263 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1920 

